Saturday, June 1, 2013

I live in Southern California so the seasons are a lot different then my natal East Coast upbringing. How ever despite the California weather I find myself drawn to certain books at different times of the year. Spring creates in me the urge to clean the cupboards , sort and organize, bring projects to fruition and fill rooms with flowers.

I also pull out this book from my reference pile:

In this book Pamela Todd brings together centuries of flower lore to one gorgeously illustrated resource.

Grouped alphabetically the reader learns the floral correspondences for a variety of emotions .

Absence

Wormwood

Enchantment

Vervain

Hope

Hawthorn

There are also lovely poems and a detailed history about each flowers origin and uses.

Poetry

The tail end of Spring and the Beginning of Summer lead me to verses. I recently picked up this poetry collection by Anne Morrow Lindbergh because of the gorgeous cover. I love the picture” The Hunt of The Unicorn”. These poems are easy to read but filled with a profound depth. There are also some great poems about the seasons and natural features.

Love is a wonderful collection of Indian inspired poems and snippets from Sufi wisdom and yogic texts. This book is gorgeously illustrated and has a wonderful sensual feel to it. These poems are not only about physical love but also the ecstatic experience of a good friend or spiritual companion. These poems invite stillness and reflection on the capacity for human love in all its forms.

This book has been a rock to me in many shaky times. I will often open to a random page and find words that eloquently describe my hopes and dreams as well as passages that break through loneliness or fear:

A Blessing of Solitude

“May you recognize in your life the presence, power, and light of your soul.

May you realize that you are never alone, that your soul in its brightness and belonging connects you intimately with the rhythm of the universe.”

So what about you guys? Are their certain books you read during different parts of the year? Happy Reading!